DopeFoot Sneaker News

Nike and Amazon have agreed to a partnership but what exactly does this mean. Let's break this down and take a look at what the partnership means, who it affects, and what we can expect to see in the future.

What will Nike sell on Amazon?

Nike CEO Mark Parker reportedly said, "In the US, we're executing a new pilot with Amazon with a limited Nike product assortment. As we do with all of our partners, we're looking for ways to improve the Nike consumer experience on Amazon by elevating the way the brand is presented and increasing the quality of product storytelling. We're in the early stages, but we look forward to evaluating the results of the pilot."

Why did Nike decide to partner with Amazon?

Nike will be able to "elevate the way the brand is presented" by gaining more control over how its products are marketed on the site, Parker said.

Since 3rd parties can sell on Amazon, there has been an issue with Counterfeit/Fake Nike's being sold on Amazon and this caused a bit of concern for Nike. As a result, part of deal entails Amazon weeding out the questionable sellers on Amazon and making it even tougher for sellers to sell Nike products on Amazon without proper vetting.

Who sells Nike products on Amazon?

Nike's products can already be found onAmazonvia unlicensed and licensed third-party vendors. This basically means that resellers are allowed to sell on Amazon but getting approved to sell Nike products on Amazon is very difficult.

Supposedly, Amazon has been working on a registry of legit resellers to assure customers that the products they buy are 100% authentic.

Right now, third-party sellers are already selling thousands of Nike items on the site and reportedly account for more than 50% of all sales. These days, analysts estimate third-party sales in total have surpassed Amazon's own sales on the site, and the number of sellers has swelled to over two million.

In addition to this, the 3rd party sales are generally more profitable for Amazon because they collect seller fees without having to deal with storing the products and shipping them out. So, it would not make much sense for Amazon to get rid of all of the 3rd party sellers currently selling on Amazon.

As of July 13 Nike will begin to sell products on Amazon. Any products that Nike decides to sell means that any 3rd party seller can not sell the same products as Nike.

How does the Nike Amazon Partnership affect retail?

Retail and big box stores are feeling the brunt end of this whole partnership. Stores like Sports Authority and Sports Chalet have already filed for bankruptcy while companies like Footlocker and Finishline have seen their stocks decline.

Who has the leverage Nike or Amazon?

It appears that Amazon has the leverage over Nike. While Nike continues to be the largest sportswear company in the world by a long shot, Amazon is still a much larger company than Nike. Also, Amazon has already been selling tons of Nike products through 3rd parties.

Today is Memorial Day, a day to honor the soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice while defending the United States in war. So, in honor of the day let's look at some military inspired kicks. Please note that these are not sneakers soldiers can wear in combat, they are just sneakers with colors and patterns similar to the ones you may see in the military.

Behind every Nike sneaker is a story and inspiration behind the design. Sometimes that inspiration comes from the United States Military Defense. The 5 different branches are the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard. The colors the fighters wear on their uniforms are usually either green or sand depending on the location of where they are fighting and if there is a design on the uniform it is some form of camouflage in order to blend in with the surroundings.

Camouflage made it's way into the fashion world during the 1960's and can be seen on all different types of clothes and shoes today. We see military influences on sneakers and fashion all the time and sometimes wear it without even really thinking anything about it.

One of the most recognizable clothing brands in the world right now is a brand called A Bathing Ape. BAPE's entire brand and image is based on their dope camo design pattern. They put it on everything and anytime you see that BAPE camo on a sneaker you can be sure it will sell out fast.

Nike is also notorious for releasing military inspired sneakers. We see the influences in everything from the green or sand camo on the Air Max to the fighter jet inspired Air Jordans or Foamposites. Usually, the Nike military inspired sneakers are very popular too.

There is something primal in liking the camo pattern and it is why we see it in fashion and sneakers so much. A lot of people like wearing camo. So next time you wear a dope pair of camo kicks, remember that design was inspired by the military. Without going into too much detail on each shoe and what exactly in the military the inspiration came from, here is a list of the best looking military inspired sneakers. What is your favorite?

The 1990's are considered the golden era for basketball sneakers. Although 90's basketball was completely dominated by Michael Jordan, there were other NBA players releasing dope sneakers during this time as well.

Players like Penny Hardaway, Gary Payton, and Charles Barkley were signed with Nike while other NBA superstars like Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson were trying to pave the way for smaller brands like Adidas and Reebok.

Unlike the basketball sneakers released today, some of these could look good on and off the basketball court. Sneakers like the Nike Foamposite and Nike Air More Uptempo are retroed over and over again and this is not because they are great basketball sneakers.

There is no doubt that basketball sneakers are better for the athlete today. Brands invest heavily in research and development to make sure they release a sneaker that is going to allow the athlete to run faster, jump higher, and perform at their peak. Often times this means a sneaker design that does not look great off the court.

It could just be the nostalgia or do some of you agree that these 90's basketball sneakers look much cooler than the ones today. Below is the list of some of the best basketball sneakers during the 1990's. Which ones do you like or would like to see released again?

Below, are some of the hottest new released sneakers with links to legit sources where you can buy them for GREAT PRICES. All the sneakers are brand new and 100% authentic. Find anything from new releases for less than retail to sneakers that were sold out in seconds. This page will continue to be updated with new sneakers and links. What was your favorite release of the past month?

The appeal to chewing gum makes sense. You are chewing on something without eating it, while also giving your brain a little boost. There are supposedly studies out there that say there are cognitive benefits of chewing gum. Unfortunately, these benefits do not include making you any less of an asshole.

If you throw your gum anywhere other than a trashcan than you are a selfish asshole. Please excuse the name calling but there are literally no other living organisms on Earth other than humans that like gum. Plants hate gum. Animals hate gum. And of course, SNEAKERS HATE GUM.

We can all recall a time when we stepped in some gum. It usually happens when you are mindlessly going about your day, soaking up the sun when all of the sudden you take a step that feels different. It feels as if the pavement is clinging to the bottom of the sneaker's sole and trying its hardest to pull your sneaker back down to the ground. As soon as you feel it you know it exactly what is.

Oh no, gum on the bottom of your favorite sneakers. It is infuriating but try relax and do not let it ruin your day because your can be cleaned. Here are instructions with a video to show you a quick and easy way to get the gum off your sneakers and make them clean again.

METHOD 1: PLACE SNEAKER IN FREEZER

STEP 1: Put your sneaker in a large plastic storage bag. Make sure the bag is big enough to at cover the gum with plastic

STEP 2: Press against the plastic on the gum. Make sure you press down enough times and hard enough so the gum is sticking to the plastic

STEP 3: Place the shoes in the freezer for a couple hours (2-3)

STEP 4: Remove the sneaker from the bag. The gum should stick to the plastic and be easier to peel off

Wearing sneakers with your suits can be a polarizing topic. Some people think it is a no no while others feel comfortable wearing sneakers and a suit for almost any occasion. The look can easily be pulled off but are there are a few things you must know before you decide to lace up your kicks with your suit. Below is a list of tips on how to wear your sneakers with a suit and some photos with the names of the sneakers that you can use for inspiration.

TIPS ON WEARING A SUIT WITH SNEAKERS

Wear no show socks

Wear them to less formal events. If it is acceptable to wear jeans at the event, then it is acceptable to wear sneakers

Wear a t-shit or collared shirt and do not wear a tie with the blazer or suit

Wear slim tapered pants

Wear thin sneakers and stay away from bulky colorful kicks

Make sure the sneakers are clean. NO BEATERS

Materials like leather, suede, and canvas all look good

When picking a color look for monochrome or black uppers with a white midsole

Stay away from athletic performance based sneakers unless they are a select few Nike Air Jordan's

PICTURES OF COOL SNEAKERS WORN WITH A SUIT

(Picture of Dwayne Wade and Chris Paul wearing the Jordan 11 Concord with a suit)

Nike Air Max Day was on 3.26.17 and to celebrate their 30th anniversary since the release of the Air Max 1 in 1987, Nike released a new futuristic looking Air Max called the Nike Vapor Max. The Nike Vapor Max has largest air bag to date and the whole redesign and concept has the sneaker world wondering how do they feel.

The Nike Vapor Max fits true to size compared to other Nike's. The uppers are completely made up of flyknit, which is a woven material that forms around your feet and is extremely flexible and light. Think of it almost like putting on a sock.

The air units are the most cushioned Air Max ever released. Since there a multiple air units, each unit has a different feel. On the heel you can expect more cushion and as you get closer to the toe, the air units feel a little stiffer.

All of that sounds great but everybody wants to know whether or not they are more or less comfortable than the Adidas Ultra Boost. The general consensus when comparing the two is that they are both very comfortable but different. The Adidas Ultra Boost has more cushion and the Nike Vapor Max is more springy. It is all a matter of preference so I will let you decide (my cop-out in saying which is better). Which one do you think is more comfortable?

The Jordan 1 High OG Royal release date is this Saturday (4-1-17) and will retail for $160. The Jordan 1 High OG Royal has been released 4 times now (1984, 2001, 2013) and this year in (2017) we will see a remastered look with quality similar to that of the Jordan 1 High OG Bred/Banned 2017. The sneaker features a royal blue tumbled leather on the toebox, swoosh, and heel with a white midsole and royal outsole.

This is one of the most iconic Jordan sneakers of all time. Even now, over 30 years after the OG release date and being released multiple times, this sneaker will break necks almost any time you wear them. The silhouette and colors are iconic. These sneakers are a must have for any sneakerhead.

Where will they be released and how limited will they be?

Here are a few screenshots of retailers that will get the Jordan 1 Royal. Some retailers are first come first serve but many retailers are doing raffles. The sneakers are not that limited but that does not mean they will be easy to cop. In fact, expect them to be very difficult to buy for retail and if you want to get them FCFS make sure you bring your camping gear.

Screenshots of Footlocker and Footaction retailers getting the Jordan 1 High OG Royal. Also, check out the comparison to the Jordan 1 Bred. Release quantities look about the same.

Looking to Pre- Order?

Pre-Order the Jordan 1 High OG here on Dopefoot.com. All sneakers will be purchased on release day form an authorized retailer so you can be sure they are 100% authentic. If the order can not be fulfilled you will get a full refund.

How much are the Jordan 1 High OG Royal worth?

You can expect to see prices between $325-$400 on release day. Flight club is asking around $375-450. You can be sure that these will be one of the most popular Jordans to release in 2017 and the value will go up over time.

Early Links

Try your luck online on release day. Here are some early links to the Jordan 1 High OG Royal 2017

The idea of somebody spending $10,000's of dollars on a pair of sneakers seems ridiculous to most people. The world's most expensive sneakers are not made with that much better quality, craftsmanship, or design than some sneakers sitting on the shelf at Footlocker so what makes them so much more valuable?

It all comes down to supply and demand and what a person is willing to pay. All of these sneakers are extremely scarce and I think it is fair to say every sneakerhead would love to have these grails in their collection. Finding a legit pair can be extremely difficult and if you are even lucky enough to come across an authentic pair you are going to have to spend some serious money to own them.

Some of the rarest and most highly sought after kicks can reach $10,000+. The list below is made up of 2 Air Jordans, 2 Nike Dunks, and the Nike Air Mag. If you ever have an extra couple million dollars just laying around and want the most expensive sneakers in the world make your way over to Flight Club NYC and may just find a few of these gems. Price aside, which one would you rock?

Nike Air Jordan 4 Retro UNDFTD - In 2005, sneaker store UNDFTD gave these to friends and family only. They were never released to the public and there are rumored to only be 72 pairs made. Prices for a pair of these are around $15,000.

Nike Air Mag 2011 and 2016 - The shoes made famous by Michael J. Fox in Back To The Future II. In 2011, 1,500 pairs were auctioned on eBay. In 2016, 89 pairs of the self lacing Air Mags were raffled off by Nike. All proceeds were donated to Parkinson's research. The 2011's are around $10,000 and the 2016 around $40,000

Nike Dunk Low Pro SB Paris - These are a true piece of art and even have the workings of French painter Bernard Buffet on them. There are rumored to be only 150-200 produced and pairs can go as high as $10,000. The shoes were sold at a few select stores in Paris including Opium and Colette, where people had to wait for days in the cold to get a pair.

Nike Dunk High Pro SB FLOM - This is a Futura collaboration and there are rumored to be only 24 pairs in existence. FLOM can be seen written on the sneakers and that acronym could not be more appropriate. It stands for "for love of money". These go for around $10,000.

Jordan 4 Retro Eminem x Carhartt - In a somewhat similar fashion to the Nike Air Mag, these were auctioned off on eBay to raise money for MSU's Literacy Through Songwriting Program. Pairs were sold for around $20,000.

The Adidas Yeezy V2 Black/Red drops on February 11th, 2017. Just like any other Yeezy release you can expect these to be very difficult to cop for retail. Most stores will be doing some sort of raffle earlier in the week like Monday,Tuesday, or Wednesday so check with your local stores to see who is getting them and what you need to do to be able to cop them for retail. Here is a guide to help you in your hunt. Good luck!

1. Adidas Confirmed App - Here is a list of Adidas stores in the U.S. getting them. NYC, Los Angles, Chicago, Long Island, North New Jersey, Philadelphia, Miami, and San Francisco

Adidas Originals Store - Aventura

Adidas Store Kings Plaza - Brooklyn, New York

Adidas Store Cherry Hill - Cherry Hill, New Jersey

Adidas Store - Water Tower Plaza, Chicago

Adidas Store Garden City - Garden City, New York

Adidas Store Elmhurst - Queens, New York

Adidas Originals - Los Angeles

Adidas Originals - Miami Beach, Florida

Adidas Originals Spring Street - New York, New York

Adidas Store - Paramus, New Jersey

Adidas Store - San Francisco, California

Adidas Store - Santa Monica, California

2. Adidas.com - The Adidas website lets people into the checkout very slowly so be sure to be patient. The Adidas website has been known to have the spinning wheel for up to an hour and finally letting customers purchase after the long wait. Remember, the hunt is not over until the website says sold out.

3. Footlocker/Champs/Footaction Confirmed App - There will be certain retail stores getting them and you can go on their website or app and check out the launch locator to fins out where. The launch locator will let you know which stores are getting them and what the launch procedures are. More than likely it will be a raffle so be sure to get your name in the raffle to give yourself a chance at copping.

4. Sneaker Boutiques - Here is a list of sneaker boutiques around the world and in the United States getting the Yeezy V2 Black/Red on February 11. The list is in alphabetical order by country. Scroll down for the United States.

Having doubts about the authenticity of a pair of Jordan 1 Banned 2016 and need a legit check? Follow this resourceful guide full of photos, videos, and notable differences that will help you determine whether a pair is 100% authentic or fake.

Jordan 1 Bred Banned 2016:

(Photo of a 100% Authentic Pair of Jordan 1 Bred 2016)

Notable Differences:

Laces should be tightly wrapped in the bag not hanging loosely. There should be 4 small lines on the bag. The bag should be on the left shoe. Here are the lacebags on a real pair.

Authentics come laced on the bottom only not laced up in multiple eyelets. This applies for DS pairs only

There should NOT be any widow peaks on the toe box or the back heel tab of shoe. Here is a photo of the toe box and a back heel tab on an authentic pair.

Insoles are glued down a little on the real and not glued down at all on the fake. Insoles will have vertical glue marks

Holes on the toe box is bigger on the real

Check the stitching placement on the tongue. Here is a photo of the tongue on a real pair

Here is a photo of the box label with style code and retail price (The sticker up top is a Footlocker sticker and is not on every box).

Here is a photo of the size tag on an authentic pair (production dates can vary between pairs)

Nike and Jordan Brand continue to use the NBA All Star Weekend as a platform to release limited and highly sought after sneakers. The NBA All Star Game has been moved from Charlotte to New Orleans this year and will take place on Sunday, February 19, 2017.

The highlights of the many different releases surrounding the NBA All Star Weekend include the black version of the OVO x Jordan 12, a Retro of an Original Jordan 13, and a limited Jordan 6.

Kanye West is no stranger to the February sneaker release scene either. Let's not forget one of the most surprising releases of all time when the Nike Yeezy 2 Red October released on February 9, 2011 without any heads up.

This year, Kanye West will release 2 different Adidas Yeezy 350 V2's. The first, a black/red color dropping on the 11th and latter, a white/black color dropping on the 25th.

Below, is a chronological list of the hottest releases of the month. Which one are you looking forward to the most?